Delving into India’s tremendous global logistics potential

With its economic upswing post the global COVID-19 pandemic, government policies that augur well for the logistics sector announced in the Union Budget 2021, and locational advantage in light of businesses looking at diversifying to de-risk their supply chains, India is looking ahead to a gamut of opportunities. Helping businesses in India and across the world leverage these advantages are market-leading integrated logistics services providers like Allcargo Logistics and Gati.

As per the announcements during the release of the Union Budget 2021, India remains focused on its target of growing into a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025. Infrastructure spending, focus on healthcare and agriculture and monetization of assets are key areas likely to drive this growth forward.

Growth driven by the logistics sector

Increased spending on infrastructure can open up avenues for the logistics sector which can significantly contribute to important development projects.

With the e-commerce sector booming, and more customers preferring to shop online due to safety concerns, express distribution, domestic air freight, warehousing and contract logistics sectors are poised to surpass their current growth levels.

Having seen gradual recovery from the aftermath of lockdowns across the world and shortage of containers in months that followed, Exim trade is slowly moving towards pre-COVID levels. For a country like India, the time is right to establish itself as an important global trade destination by leveraging opportunities brought forth by global business supply chains seeking to move manufacturing to various destinations in south and south-east Asia.

“India’s logistics sector today has a lot to look ahead to. On one hand we have developments like the National Logistics Policy and Dedicated Freight Corridors that will create efficiencies across the logistics ecosystem and help bring down logistics costs. One the other hand, there are Product-Linked incentives, and initiatives to bolster sectors like pharma, manufacturing, SMEs, etc. that will eventually create opportunities for the logistics industry to prosper. If you see the size and scope of our business in India, more so with Gati’s transition into an Allcargo company complete, we are present in almost every logistics vertical. Hardly anyone, if at all, can match the synergies and end-to-end integration of services that we offer customers in India and across the globe”, says Adarsh Hegde, Joint Managing Director, Allcargo Logistics and Managing Director, Gati-KWE.

Seamless solutions across diverse logistics verticals

Businesses that seek to expand their horizons need the strength of a strong network to back their supply chains and cargo movements from one end of the world to the other. That’s where experts like Allcargo Logistics step in with a global network operating in more than 180 countries and offering over 2400 direct trade lanes through ECU Worldwide, a fully-owned global subsidiary. Being the world leader in LCL consolidation, ECU Worldwide offers ocean freight, international air freight and a number of value-added services. Neither does size of the cargo matter, nor does the type. Be it Over-Dimensional Cargo (ODC), Dangerous Goods (DG) or hazardous cargo, they take care of it all!

Allcargo’s NVOCC services in India span 28 offices and more than 400 experts driving Exim trade and offering transhipment solutions across more than 300 main import and export trade lanes.

What’s more, the NVOCC services have the added advantage of impeccable services from the country’s widest Container Freight Station (CFS) network that Allcargo operates through world-class facilities at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Mundra and an Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Dadri. Additionally, the suite of services can also be customized to offer last mile logistics right up to the destination.

For transporting heavy equipment, complex machinery and other ODC like transformers, generators, etc. to the length and breadth of the country, Allcargo’s Project and Equipment division is the ideal partner. With a relentless focus on safety and ingenious solutions that keep projects on-track and on-schedule, the team has also been making international forays by working on development power and infrastructure projects in the Indian subcontinent, Africa, etc.

Bolstered by the Allcargo-Gati collaboration

For customers looking to expand into India, Allcargo’s collaboration with Gati offers a competitive advantage like no other. Along with international reach, customers now have inroads into India’s hinterlands through Gati’s extensive coverage of more than 19,800 PIN Codes in 735 of India’s 739 districts.

Further, international and Indian customers can explore express distribution, domestic air freight and first and last mile solutions that are a perfect complement to the contract logistics services that Allcargo offers through its subsidiary Avvashya CCI.

Heralding a customer-centric digital transformation

The benefit of working with a reliable industry leader like Allcargo is the relentless focus on leading change rather than being reactive.

With technology heralding a digital transformation in logistics, Allcargo is well-equipped with its state-of-the-art online platform ECU360 to help customers conduct business 24×7 and book global cargo movements in just a few clicks. Not only do its features add to customers’ convenience, but also help make shipping an ‘on-demand’ experience which is exactly how customers would prefer it to be.

Even at Gati, digital advancements continue, keeping customers at the centre of it all. Be it instant assistance on WhatsApp with Genie or an upcoming customer portal that will significantly impact speed and TAT, customers are bound to experience the difference!

Conclusion

As India continues writing its growth story, it sets the stage for customers across the globe to grow their business, expand into the land of opportunities and let market leaders like Allcargo bolster them with seamless, single-window logistics services tailored to their specific requirements.